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In NE Arkansas most applicants coming out of local trade schools can't draw a refrigerant circuit and use it to discuss superheat, sub cooling, latent heat or sensible heat. They seem to be even more lost on very, very basic electrical. We have a real shortage of apprentices and tech around here and our shop has been operating short of manning for months.

Apprentices start at $16.

After 6 months and if able to discuss theory automatically go to $20.

After a total of 3 years including school time, with basic Nate certification and able to discuss a little more theory, they advance to $24.

For this area you would think that we'd be turning people away, it sounds like an ad that would have lots of good people looking for an opportunity. However, we can't find people who will show up to work or who can pass a drug test.
Can't figure it out! Generally speaking I'm seeing a new generation that doesn't really want to work, but that is a subject in itself. I am always glad when we run across the exception. From conversations with others,I don't believe it is isolated to only the HVAC industry,

In NE Arkansas most applicants coming out of local trade schools can't draw a refrigerant circuit and use it to discuss superheat, sub cooling, latent heat or sensible heat. They seem to be even more lost on very, very basic electrical. We have a real shortage of apprentices and tech around here and our shop has been operating short of manning for months.

Apprentices start at $16.

After 6 months and if able to discuss theory automatically go to $20.

After a total of 3 years including school time, with basic Nate certification and able to discuss a little more theory, they advance to $24.

For this area you would think that we'd be turning people away, it sounds like an ad that would have lots of good people looking for an opportunity. However, we can't find people who will show up to work or who can pass a drug test.
Can't figure it out! Generally speaking I'm seeing a new generation that doesn't really want to work, but that is a subject in itself. I am always glad when we run across the exception. From conversations with others,I don't believe it is isolated to only the HVAC industry,

Wow I'd love to have that kind of opportunity down here. I'd jump all over that if I was presented with those kinds of opportunities. Hell, I might even move to Arkansas.

In NE Arkansas most applicants coming out of local trade schools can't draw a refrigerant circuit and use it to discuss superheat, sub cooling, latent heat or sensible heat. They seem to be even more lost on very, very basic electrical. We have a real shortage of apprentices and tech around here and our shop has been operating short of manning for months.

Apprentices start at $16.

After 6 months and if able to discuss theory automatically go to $20.

After a total of 3 years including school time, with basic Nate certification and able to discuss a little more theory, they advance to $24.

For this area you would think that we'd be turning people away, it sounds like an ad that would have lots of good people looking for an opportunity. However, we can't find people who will show up to work or who can pass a drug test.
Can't figure it out! Generally speaking I'm seeing a new generation that doesn't really want to work, but that is a subject in itself. I am always glad when we run across the exception. From conversations with others,I don't believe it is isolated to only the HVAC industry,

I agree with you....I'm in a trade school now, and I see that a lot of us don't know the VERY basics at the end of the school year.

I'm more in central Arkansas and NE would be a pretty good drive for me.

It is, and I toured the U.S.S Alabama on the way back from vacation in Florida. Awesome museum, they also have a submarine and a hangar with modern as well as historic war birds.

Ive been there twice while on vacation. Now that my children are older Id like to revisit.

When I was there they had an SR-71 Blackbird parked out front. The battle ship is amazing, for anyone who gets down that way it is definitely worth seeing. Anyway, your avatar just brought back some memories and made me curious. Thanks for sharing that.

I’ve been there twice while on vacation. Now that my children are older I’d like to revisit.

When I was there they had an SR-71 Blackbird parked out front. The battle ship is amazing, for anyone who gets down that way it is definitely worth seeing. Anyway, your avatar just brought back some memories and made me curious. Thanks for sharing that.

I can tell you that an inexperienced tech right out of trade school will get 12-14 dollars to start in New York City. But this is all relative... Different areas of the country will have different rates. The cost of living in NYC is incredibly high, so the starting rate is obviously going to be higher than other areas. I started my career in upstate NY (Syracuse) and got 11 an hour to start. Ya gotta start somewhere!....

In NE Arkansas most applicants coming out of local trade schools can't draw a refrigerant circuit and use it to discuss superheat, sub cooling, latent heat or sensible heat. They seem to be even more lost on very, very basic electrical. We have a real shortage of apprentices and tech around here and our shop has been operating short of manning for months.

Apprentices start at $16.

After 6 months and if able to discuss theory automatically go to $20.

After a total of 3 years including school time, with basic Nate certification and able to discuss a little more theory, they advance to $24.

For this area you would think that we'd be turning people away, it sounds like an ad that would have lots of good people looking for an opportunity. However, we can't find people who will show up to work or who can pass a drug test.
Can't figure it out! Generally speaking I'm seeing a new generation that doesn't really want to work, but that is a subject in itself. I am always glad when we run across the exception. From conversations with others,I don't believe it is isolated to only the HVAC industry,

Well. I dont have a problem there at all. i have a problem doing more then 30 hrs aweek where i live. its a bit frustrating. right now im pulling like 20 hrs a week on a good week, but i do admit its april and everything is slow.Plus i just got out of my 2nd level of my apprenticeship. Ive been working for this sompany for about 5 months now and its a bit frustrating. Just wanted to vent a little!!!

Get er Done!

Do what has to be done
when it has to be done
as well as it has to be done
And doing it all the time.

Well. I dont have a problem there at all. i have a problem doing more then 30 hrs aweek where i live. its a bit frustrating. right now im pulling like 20 hrs a week on a good week, but i do admit its april and everything is slow.Plus i just got out of my 2nd level of my apprenticeship. Ive been working for this sompany for about 5 months now and its a bit frustrating. Just wanted to vent a little!!!

Yep....it doesn't matter how much you are paid per hour, if you aren't getting hours.....Perhaps it's better to take a lower hourly rate and get more hours.